The St. Johns herald., 1887-03-31
re the community.

AA'h PCi hCtNly OH tHC HPCCNH VI Gov. Foraker, of Ohio, at dinner given by the Republicans on Lin coln's birthday, recently. That journal, among other scathing re- marks, says: Did it occur to Gov. Foraker and his applauding hear CTS to ask why a party of such H. lustrious deeds, which performed inestimable services to the country and to mankind, so swiftly lost the confidence of the country and fell from power? The Tribune's story of the Cleveland administration is all darkness. Governor Foraker's history of the Rt publican party is all light. Why did an intelligent and p ,triotic country take the risk of the change? Why, with the enormous advantages on the part Of the Republican party and the total discredit of the Democratic p,rty, did the Republicans lose the administration, and the country ..!-ct a Democratic President in .e64? Governor foraker's reply .,;,.i t.sa. If his audience would be undoubtedly that the treacEerous Mugwumps stabbed the party in the back. That IS the after-dinner way of saying that d large body of Re publicans did not support the par ty candidate at the last election. But it does not answer the question why did q large body of Republi- cans. perhaps as old and as devoted and as patriotic as Gov. Foraker or any other orator or guest at tEe feast, refuse to support the candi- date? Disappointment, envy, ann bition, the "sore head" natural cussedness," spite, silliness-all such reasons may be conceded to have influenced some of them but what did the movement mean? What light did it throw upon the condition and tendencies of the party? What moved Republican veterans and young men of Repub- lican training, casting their first Presidential vote to oppose the suc- cess of the nomination of this par " of the magnificent and incom- parable tradition? What kept them perfectly r;,;n' ..,.. steady under a storm of lies an., t;uckguardism such as unIl c;,injid#;cs themselves uSuali, cir.ounitr? aid what made their protest a:.d their course suc- cessful?
 Now that the enthusiasm is hushed and tiie eloquence silent in fact, now that it is after dinner. and that half Ot the adminiStra- tion from which general disaster was predicted ends amid general approval and the total discredit of the dismal prophecies, these ques- tions are timely and well worthy serious meditation. It is after din- ner, and it is we'll tu muse a little while the fire of the cigar burns. The situation next year will be es- sentially y different from that of 1884. The apprehension of disaster in the event of Republican defeat, as we have often said, is wholly gone. Many of the Republican seceders of 'S4. are unlikely to return. A host of young voters who, except for that year, would naturally vote with the Republicans, would un- occasionally support Mir. Cleveland against any Republican candidate.
 1t is obvious that party strength alone will not decide the election. The remnant of all kinds holds i!,r halance of power. The glow iug p .ech of Governor Foraker ilas hardly set the tune for stump oratory that will win votes. The detailed arraignment of the Tri- bune cannot Overbear the general conviction that, with all failures and mistakes the Presidents course has been honest and patriotic and beneficial. During the two years of the administration, if the Presi- dent has been on trial, so has the Republican opposition, and he ,ro,,I1 bo I, IorJ,, ,uop uhO chou1d